I Hate You
by FlameOut
Summary: -Ice Climbers- For his age, Popo hates a lot of things, including stages with edges and drops. And his own sister, Nana.


**I Hate You**

_By: FlameOut_

**A/N: **Go play Brawl, select the Ice Climbers and watch their Up+B attack; Belay. That's where this came from, in a nutshell.

* * *

Popo absolutely hate stages that have any sort of edge and endless drop to them. He hates it so very much that he would curse at it silently as he fight on them. At this particular moment, he can do nothing but sigh though. He stared as the large screen in front of them displayed the stage that was randomly selected. Pokemon Stadium 2. _That's not a bad stage,_ Popo thought, then he frowned deeply to himself. _Except for us._ He glanced at his partner, his best friend, his only family member. His own twin sister.

Nana was standing ever so faithfully beside him like always, a cute warm smile on her face that looks so much like his own save the hair. He returned the smile forcefully and Nana must have noticed, for she placed a mitten-covered hand on his shoulder. "It's going to be alright." She said, just like she always do before they enter a battle. Popo didn't answer, he just place his own hand over hers.

As the timer at the top right corner counted down to zero, a bright light covered all the fighters, sending them to the selected stage.

When they can see again, Popo can see the Pokemon Stadium underneath them. They were hanging from the grip of the condor, as is their typical entrance. Dropping down, they landed easily on their cleats clad feet. Popo turned to Nana, the forceful smile still on his face. He was trying his best to hold back the frown, but Nana can read him like a book. She swung her wooden mallet to her shoulder, but gave his gloved hand a tap. "Just do your best!" She called encouragingly.

Nodding to her words, Popo turned forward again, looking at the line-up in front of them. He'll do his best. He'll do it for her.

* * *

With a shriek, Popo was hit by the edge of Ike's Aether, sending him rocketing back. He sailed just out of reach from Fox and skidded a crash landing on his back at the other end of the stage. He quickly got back to his feet, rubbing at his chin where the attack had hit, grabbing his mallet with the other hand. He searched with his eyes, taking a second to catch his breath, for any sign of Nana. Before he can find her, he find himself facing a blue ball rolling quickly towards him. Sonic is looking to finish him off.

The blue hedgehog was speeding towards him and he can barely see the sign of a capsule in the spinning. Reacting quickly, Popo let off a yell (sounding more like a squeak really) and kept his mallet low, watching. His arms shook as he builds up energy and once within reach, he let it off to minimize his own damage. The timing was right and Sonic was sent flying into the air, the capsule in his hand was send flying a bit higher. Taking his chance, Popo double-jumped after the pink and white container. Once he caught hold of it, he quickly toss it down at the just landed Sonic. He hoped the capsule contain what he thinks it contained.

With a burst of orange, the capsule exploded upon contact, sending Sonic back the way he came and back to the fight between Fox and Ike.

And Nana.

Popo eyes widen as he caught sight of her. She was holding her own, barely, against both Fox and Ike. As she swung her hammer wildly at Fox, she was attacked from behind by Ike. She took damage, Popo can see that, and it made his blood boils. Placing his hammer below him, he force himself to drop faster to the ground. Once he landed, he ran back into the fight, going right for Ike. He twirl his hammer around his body, causing him to spin some way with his hammer outstretched. The attack momentarily send Ike back a few steps, letting Nana join his side again.

He was panting already and it haven't been that far along in the battle. He was sweating underneath his parka and his arms feel sore. But he didn't stop. He quickly took a deep breath. Nana copied him and took a deep breath of her own. She can read him better then a book. She knows her brother more then she knows herself.

As Fox and Ike rush to attack them, they both released the ice breath they held, stopping both in their tracks. Following that, Popo took a leap backward in the air. Moving like they were the same person, Nana followed his every move perfectly. Together, they created an ice block and hurled it forward with their hammers, sending them down to Fox and Ike. Both ice blocks hit their mark and with another backward jump, they put some distance between them and their opponents.

But when Popo spy something in mid-air dropping in front of them, he knew they had fallen right to where Sonic was waiting for them.

A Smart Bomb landed a few steps in front of them and went off.

The explosion was powerful and painful, Popo can swear if it wasn't for the safety set into the game, he would be burnt and in pieces by now. But even as the safety kept his body and clothes intact, it didn't stop the feeling of the explosion rocking his body. He felt crushed and pulled apart at the same time, his body seems to be indecisive as to which direction it wants to go. The explosion lasted only a few seconds as the blast radius increases then cease altogether. But it was a few seconds too many.

Once it cease, the energy it had spread outward and Popo found himself sailing across the air freely again. After a couple of seconds, he found himself sailing too freely. Shouldn't he have landed on the ground yet?

Snapping his eyes opened after having them shut during the explosion, he found himself looking at the ledge of the Pokemon Stadium steadily getting smaller. It took a few more moments to recognize what he was seeing.

And by then, Nana had already known, set herself up in his arms and looking at him directly. That smile on her face before the battle starts was still there, through everything. "Hurry, Popo!" She urged.

Popo knows exactly what she is telling him to do and he really wants to shake his head and refuse. It wasn't fair. He hated this. Hated Sonic for setting them up with a Smart Bomb, hate the Smart Bomb, hate the stage, hate the ledge. He hates everything right at this moment. And he hates Nana. He hates her so much right now. Does she know what she's asking him to do? He hated how she can accept that as if it was nothing.

It's nothing to everybody. But not for Popo. This is torture to him.

But most of all, he hates how Nana can read him like he is a part of her. She smiled, the rope already set in his hands and around hers. "Just do your best, Popo." She said calmly.

He was moving before he can register what she said.

He threw her up into the air at the direction of the ledge as hard as he could. She reached about half the distant up before she stalled in the air. He was expecting as much. Shutting his eyes, he waited for the rest to happen. He don't want to see this. He don't want to do this. He just don't want this. The next sensation he can feel was the rope in his hand jerking at him, the air rushing pass him as he was thrown up by the rope. His free hand was outstretched and he can feel his mitten-covered hand grabbing something solid as he dangle in mid-air.

But he kept his eyes shut, he kept dangling. Until he heard the scream.

And just like that, she's gone.

He opened his eyes, tears had gathered at the corner of his eyes. But he won't let them fall and he silently climbed up onto the stage again. The fight had continued onward as if nothing had happened. And to everybody else, nothing had happened. But to him, it was always something. His sister just sacrifice herself so he can continue the fight. She's gone because he had failed, because of him. He had killed his sister. Again.

He turned all of his hate from just a moment ago into the power of fury. Yelling out a cry so loud that it announces his presence to the others, he charged headfirst into the fight again, his hammer raised high above his head. As he charged, little sparkle of tears trails behind him.

And somewhere in the back of his mind, behind the current anger, he knew he will have to watch his sister do this again and again.

He hates stages with edges and drops.

**The End**


End file.
